CULTURE TUESDAY 2024-09-10 - Helen Elwes

This week's Culture Tuesday features a fascinating conversation with Helen Elwes, a renowned artist and Laudato Si' Animator. Helen shares her artistic journey, which has increasingly focused on addressing the pressing climate and ecological crises. A graduate of the Ruskin School of Art in Oxford and the Royal Academy Schools, Ewes has exhibited widely, but her recent work is deeply rooted in her concerns about environmental degradation and governmental inaction. One of the key highlights of the discussion is Helen’s powerful artwork, particularly her banner "Mother of Mercy", which has become a symbol of environmental activism. The piece portrays a modern-day Madonna della Misericordia in a landscape ravaged by fire, symbolizing the destruction of rainforests. Mary is shown with her cloak protecting endangered animals, the Tree of Life, and figures in prayer, while the plea "Mother of Mercy - Pray For Us" is emblazoned above. This banner has accompanied protests and pilgrimages, such as the Camino to COP 26, demonstrating the role of art in activism. Helen offers deep insights into how her work and art, in general, can be a powerful medium for expressing grief for the planet and urging action to combat environmental crises.